A Rat's Story
by Foreststar of WindClan
Summary: Remember when Firestar went on a quest? Remember the talking rat? Well, this is his side of the story. This is how he learned how to speak cat, and why he hates cats so much. This is a rat's story. Challenge for CreamClan. Rated T just in case


**I'm surprised with myself with this one-shot. I was thinking it might be 600 words, possibly 800. But I got way more! WHOO!**

**Okay, I hope you like this idea. In one of my forums, CreamClan, I had to write a one-shot about warriors that followed these rules:**

**1\. English Language**

**2\. Characters**

**3\. Some actual words (don't understand this one)**

**So, when I was thinking of ideas, I thought of SkyClan, and the lead rat who could talk to cats.**

**In order to completely understand this story, I'm going to list some things below. You should probably read it before continuing. Not saying you have to or anything. I just advise it. Please point out any I missed.**

**Circle-season = Year**

**Circle-moon = Moon**

**Circle-sun = Day (I don't know if I used this, but it's here in case I did)**

**Notail = Human**

**Anyways, this is that rat's life(ish). I decided to name him Tamil, which happened to also be the name of a people somewhere in India (No, I didn't know when I made the name). Okay, this author's note needs to end. It's getting too long. Hope you like it!**

Tamil scampered across the floor of the Notail nest. In his mouth he clutched several small sunflower seeds. His forepaws held two more each. His friend ran beside him, holding several poppy seeds in his mouth. His little paws clutched a few more seeds.

"See you later," Tamil squeaked. He veered off to the straw nest his family had made in a large hole near the back of the Notail nest.

Askar nodded to him and rushed to his own nest. Being several circle-moons older than Tamil, he had his own nest, which he shared with his mate, Krita.

As he neared the his nest, Tamil's baby brother, Beetlepaw, came out. As always, Beetlepaw's little beetle friend was perched on his head.

Beetlepaw seemed to have an unnatural connection with his little beetle friend. When Beetlepaw first found him, he had declared its name was Twitch. Now, Tamil's brother never went anywhere without Twitch, and vice versa.

"Tamil!" Beetlepaw called out. "Did you bring food?"

Tamil nodded, and dropped a seed for him. Beetlepaw scampered over and ate it. He looked at the rest longingly.

"Wait until dinner," Tamil squeaked.

When the family had gathered around, Tamil dropped the seeds and distributed them equally among his family.

"Thanks, son," Cytal nodded to Tamil. "These are very good."

Wickir and Beetlepaw mumbled assent.

After dinner, the rats curled up side-by-side and slept.

* * *

Starry rats scampered around the legs of starry cats. The two creatures seemed to respect each other.

One cat looked up and locked eyes with Tamil. It nodded. Slowly, one-by-one, all the cats raised their heads and stared at the rat.

"W-who are yo-you?" Tamil stuttered.

They ignored him for the most part. The cats continued to stare at him, but their gazes were stoic. A few rats watched him, and most of the rest scurried around.

Finally, one rat, bigger than the rest, turned toward Tamil. And slowly, the others followed.

"Tamil," the big rat spoke, but his voice seemed to come from every one of the creatures gathered. It was deep and powerful, and echoed around the room. "My name is Gathron. I died long before your birth. I am the binder of cats and rats. And now it is time for you to take my place."

"W-what?" Tamil stuttered nervously. All the cats around him were making him nervous.

"I spoke cat," Gathron continued in that same deep, echoing voice. "Long ago, I brought our kind, and cars together. For so many circle seasons, they lived peacefully. But then Notails tore it apart. For so long, we could not summon the strength to make another Binder. But now it is time. You are the next Binder. You are meant to bring them together. No matter what you're feelings are. No matter what the cost."

"W-why should I be-believe you?" He squeaked.

"Beetlepaw does," Gathron answered instantly.

"Beetlepaw? What does my brother have to do with this?"

"Beetlepaw is the Binder of rats and insects," the rat told Tamil. "Only by successfully binding cats and rats together as I once had will you have a chance to prevent his death."

"He's going to die?" Tamil cried.

"Not if you stop it," Gathron's eyes were full of emotion. "You must bind our species and cats together!" He insisted. "It's the only chance for peace! Otherwise, cats will die!"

"W-why should I?" Tamil challenged. "What have cats ever done for rats?"

Gathron looked surprised at his question. He turned to try sparkling cat beside him. "Anything, Star?"

"No," Star replied, her mew smooth. Tamil scrambled backwards in shock, not because Gathron spoke to Star and she responded, but because he could understand her.

"You will do it because it is right," Gathron said firmly. "Now go, my successor, the second rat Binder. It is time for things to be set right."

Tamil woke in his nest. His dream hung in his mind. He lay there for several minutes, thinking. Reluctantly, he finally admitted that he had to do as Gathron had instructed. It was the right thing to do.

_But that doesn't mean I have to like it._

* * *

So Tamil worked, and quickly. He lived his life. He found several mates, but after the sixth one he couldn't stand seeing them die anymore, while he stayed strong, and young, and healthy. The pain was too great for him.

He soon found out that he lived beyond the normal age of rats, beyond the normal age of cats.

Gathron visited him in his sleep many times, instructing him and giving him advice. He also told Tamil an interesting piece of information.

Tamil's life extended to two Notail's life lengths. Or two hundred circle-seasons.

He worked hard, bringing cats and rats together, as a Binder is supposed to. Beetlepaw also rose and did his duty as a Binder. He brought cats and insects together. Twitch had died many circle-seasons ago, to his grief, but he got past it.

But then something terrible happened. Tamil brought a killer into their midst. And that cat killed Beetlepaw and many others, all rats. Including his entire family. All the cats then left Tamil.

The rat swore revenge on all cats. They would pay for the deaths they had caused. Gathron came to him again and again, trying to dissuade the path he had chosen, but Tamil would not be swayed. He gathered an army of rats, and trained them. Then he did something unforgivable. He made them his slaves, all in fifty-seven circle-seasons.

The rats in the barns were no longer intelligent and free. They were his. His until he was gone. The spell he placed on them would be broken when he died, but until then, he could extract revenge.

He kept some free, of course, as his second-and-third-in-commands. His army was trained to take orders from them all, but they obeyed him above anything else. And he kept some trustworthy rats free and as spies.

Tamil had killed plenty of cats when he heard news from a spy of a new group of cats, big and nasty, settling in a gorge not a hundred Rolllegs away, in the opposite direction Tamil and his rats normally took.

When he heard of these cats, he took his rats there and threatened them, saying that if they didn't leave, he would kill each and every one of them.

_ They weren't from here,_ Tamil had reasoned. _So they aren't entirely responsible for Beetlepaw and my family and friends' death. But they are cats, and they must learn to respect rats._

The cats had reacted in surprise when he spoke to them, but they listened to his warning. But they chose not to leave the gorge. SkyClan, as they called themselves, had searched for a long time for a home, and they were not to be chased out by rats.

So Tamil killed them. They attacked first, while he was preparing his rats for battle, but all his rats fought to kill. And the rats won. Unfortunately, only two cats were lost, but it was a victory Tamil and his rats were proud of. SkyClan fell apart, and the gorge was his.

But then, perhaps a hundred circle-seasons later, two ginger cats arrived. They brought together a group of cats and named then SkyClan. Tamil's old nemesis, the only cats that could challenge his rats, was back.

So Tamil attacked them. He threatened them. But he didn't kill. He didn't know why. Was he losing his hard side, the side that had kept him going through all the circle-seasons?

And then SkyClan attacked them. Tamil's rats outnumbered them, twenty-to-one. And yet they only managed to kill one of them, Rainfur they called him. One of the two first ginger cats managed to drag out the other cat, who was apparently her mate. But he died. Only to rise from the dead. It had surprised him, but he pushed it aside and focused on the battle. _No matter, _Tamil thought. _No matter how many lives they have, we'll rip them all away._

His rats chased them up trees, where they unfortunately couldn't follow. The ginger one taunted him. Tamil was wise enough not to respond. But the one ginger cat, the one that had died and came back to life, followed the signals that rippled through his army, leaped into his rats. His companions had screeched his name, Firestar. Tamil was confident that Firestar was about to die. But then he realized. The ginger cat was leaping for him. Tamil tried to escape, but his rats were pressed too tightly around him, and he couldn't move.

His aim was true, and his claws sunk deep into his throat. Darkness tugged at the corner of his gaze. Tamil glared up at him. Hatred was all he felt in his last moments. Hatred for killing him. Hatred for cats. Hatred for the cat who had killed Beetlepaw and his family and friends.

And then darkness swallowed him whole.

* * *

Tamil was scampering down a long hallway. His fur was dark, but he had never had so much energy. He felt as if he could bounce forever.

His life peeled off the walls of the hallway. He watched it, regretting nothing except bringing the killer inside his midst.

And finally, his family and friends. Their images came off the wall and Tamil felt warmed with love and friendship.

Wickir and Cytal leaned together, watching clouds roll by and trying to form an image out of them.

Askar and Krita tumbled and tussled with their little sons and daughters.

His six mates, Gythyn, Refa, Plokin, Xiater, Mjoim, and Jakif, were sitting side-by-side, noses twitching, tails swishing, on the banks of a calm, narrow river. They were chatting happily.

And finally, Beetlepaw. His little, brown brother was surrounded by insects, but the look on his face was one of pure joy. Tamil leaned forward, trying to join in, but the image dissipated at his touch. Pain stabbed his heart, but he continued on.

_ Sky Forest. Am I going there now?_

The hallway was at an end. Tamil peered through the end. A dark and murky forest, was looming before him. _That's not the Sky Forest._

He hesitated, then went through. It was his destiny, and he had to accept it one way or another.

"Tamil," a cold, terrible voice came from the shadows. Tamil's heart gripped with fear and shattered from sorrow. This was not the Sky Forest. This was where rats like him went. "Welcome to the Night Nest of Predators."

**This story was a challenge for a forum called CreamClan. You should check it out (Unless you're in it)!**

**Something to note: Sky Forest is basically a rat StarClan. Night Nest of Predators is a rat Place of No Stars.**

**So, what did you think of it? Review your thoughts, please!**

**—Foreststar**


End file.
